For high schoolers navigating the demands of academic life, finding the right study soundtrack can be as crucial as mastering the material itself. With countless genres available, determining which type of music can truly enhance focus at a critical time when productivity is essential.
Classical Music
Classical music, especially works by Mozart and Bach, has historically been linked to enhanced cognitive performance. So much so, that the term “Mozart Effect” has been coined to refer to the “spatial reasoning improvements to classical music,” according to CureScience. Recently, this effect has been extended to include an improved memory, an occurrence credited to the “stimulation of brain areas responsible for memory encoding and retrieval, particularly the hippocampus.” Additionally, focus was found to drastically improve in young adults, as proven by a study in which those who listened to classical music outperformed peers who studied for the same exam, in terms of both scores and focus retention. As a result, classical music appears to strike a balance between stimulation and serenity, providing enough auditory engagement to maintain alertness without overwhelming cognitive processing.
Pop Music
Pop music is generally considered to be the majority choice for high school students, with 56.7% of students preferring to listen to pop while studying, as found by Raffles Press—the phenomenon from which the name of the genre (“popular music”) comes. However, not all pop songs are equally beneficial for studying. According to a 2016 study conducted at Ras al-Kahimah Medical University, exposure to soft music led to a 75% improvement in test performance compared to studying with louder, fast-tempo music. Furthermore, a study by Sandberg and Harmon, a pair of researchers from Minnesota State University, found that while pop music did not significantly harm memory recall, lyrics tended to distract attention, particularly among female participants who performed better in silence. This supports the irrelevant speech effect, which suggests that words in lyrics compete with the brain’s verbal processing and short-term memory. Similarly, newer research found that “music with lyrics is generally detrimental to cognitive performance, while instrumental music has a more minor, not credible effect,” showing that lyrical content is often the main source of distraction. On the other hand, a neurobiological study revealed that listening to music increases dopamine release, which in turn “[increases] the attractiveness of the surrounding environment and the motivation to pursue and desire similar experiences leading to positive feelings that are attributed to ‘pleasurable.’” Therefore, whether pop music is beneficial depends largely on the individual. Students who need motivation or stress relief may find it helpful, while those who are easily distracted may perform better in silence or with lyric-free music.
Lo-Fi Music
Instrumental or semi-instrumental lo-fidelity (“lo-fi”) music, often characterized by mellow beats, ambient noise, and minimal vocals, offers a compelling case as a study-soundtrack precisely because it sidesteps many of the attentional pitfalls of lyrical music. For instance, in one experimental study, students who listened to lo-fi music during a memory-retention test achieved “significantly higher scores” than peers taking the test under conventional classroom noise. Additionally, while controlled trials remain limited, a survey reported that 86% of students listening to lo-fi playlists “report feeling more productive.” These findings suggest that lo-fi may help by reducing stress and ambient distractions; it creates a musical “background” rather than a competing verbal track. Indeed, one overview states that lo-fi “typically has a slow tempo of 60–80 BPM, similar to the average human heartbeat, naturally promoting relaxation.” That said, a quantitative study of college students found that “listening to lo-fi music has no significant effect on concentration.” Thus, for a student who finds complete silence uncomfortable, lo-fi could be a good compromise—but it’s not a guarantee of superior performance.
Rap Music
The genre of rap and hip-hop presents a more complex picture when it comes to studying. On the one hand, research shows that rap with encouraging lyrics can improve mood; in a study of 145 college students, listening to rap with optimistic lyrics was found to affect mood as well as motivation levels positively. That emotional lift might boost willingness to engage with study materials. On the other hand, much like pop music, rap often features dense lyrical content, rapid verbal delivery, and thematic relevance, which may compete with the cognitive resources required for tasks like reading, memorization, or writing. Moreover, content analyses of rap show that “72% of popular rap songs contain references to one or more substances,” which suggests that the lyrical themes may engage listeners differently and perhaps generate more cognitive load. In short, if you use rap for studying, it might serve well as a motivational prelude or during less cognitively demanding phases (such as when you are skimming or reviewing material). However, during heavy reading or writing sessions, you may be better off switching to something with fewer words.
In the end, no genre holds the secret to better grades, but listening intentionally and choosing music that complements your mental state determines whether sound helps or hinders your academic success.
